Locking device for vehicles



Dec., 3, 1935.

A. LAZARUS ET AL LOCKING DEVICE FOR VEHICLES Filedneo. 28, 1954 2Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS l ATTORNEYS Dec. 3, 1935. A. LAZARUS ET ALLOCKING DEVICE FOR VEHICLES Filed Dec. 28, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTORS HA DMA/0f@ maf/eus ,45e/WMM BHO WN man yiw'w ATTORNEYSPatented Dec. 3, 1935;

iltl'i S'i'i'i-S FTENT GFFICE Alexander Lazarus, Ozone Park, and AbrahamBrown, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application December 28, 1934, Serial No. 759,486

10 Claims.

The present invention relates to a device for preventing stealing ofautomobiles, trucks and similar vehicles, and it particularly relates toa device for preventing the unauthorized taking of automobiles, trucksor other vehicles While in operating condition.

Most locking devices for automobiles, trucks orl other vehicles aredesigned to prevent abstraction or stealing thereof while it is innonoperating condition, and include mechanisms for locking the steeringmechanism, the ignition circuit, the emergency brake, the Wheels and soforth. 'I'hese devices are generally designed to prevent a parkedvehicle from being stolen while the owner of such vehicle has left thecar either in the street and/ or in a garage.

However, these devices for the most part are ineifective to prevent thestealing of operating automobiles, trucks or other vehicles, by persons2O who may be riding as guests or passengers in the moving vehicle, orby outsiders when they approach the operating vehicle either when it isstanding still with its engine running and/or while it is moving on theopen road with an authorized operator thereof in charge.

It is not readily possible for the operator of the automobile, underthese last-mentioned circumstances to manipulate the usual lockingdevice adapted to prevent unauthorized removal of a parked ornon-operating automobile, since he would usually be forcibly preventedfrom manipulating such various locking devices, and even if he couldmanipulate them, he would be compelled by threats or forcible persuasionto unlock the vehicle so that the vehicle vmight be removed bytheunauthorized person.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved lockingdevice for automobiles which will prevent theft of an operatingautomobile, truck or similar vehicle while operating under the controlof its owner or of an authorized operator which may be actuated so asnot to be readily apparent to the person attempting to cause or conductsuch theft or unauthorized abstraction of the vehicle.

Another object is to provide an improved locking device to prevent theftof automobiles, trucks or other vehicles which may be readily operatedincidental to theft of the car without ready detection by the thief orperson stealing the automobile and which at the same time will permitthe automobile to be removed a short distance from the owner or operatorso that he may have sufficient time to give an alarm before the automobile is automatically stopped.

Other objects will appear during the course of the followingspecification.

In accomplishing the above objects it has been found most satisfactoryto provide a device which may be operated by the foot of the operatorand 5 which may be positioned closely adjacent to the accelerator pedal,clutch pedal, starter pedal or brake pedal and which will function tocut off the fuel supply to the automotive vehicle engine with the resultthat the engine may be operated l0 after actuation of the lock for ashort time before it will stop because of lack of fuel supply.

In one form of the automobile it has been found desirable to connect thelock switch with the ignition circuit, the lock switch preferably beingl5 provided by a foot-operated plunger normally out when the car isoperated, but most conveniently pressed inwardly to cut off further fuelsupply for operating the automotive vehicle.

Preferably the electrical circuit includes a 20 solenoid operated valvepositioned before the carburetor and between the vacuum tank, fuel pumpand/or gasoline supply tank, and the carburetor so that there will be alimited supply available in the carburetor for permitting continuationof op- 25 eration of the automotive vehicle.

The locking switch is preferably provided with a key locking means whichneed only be inserted and operated after the plunger has been operatedso as to cut off the feed line circuit. 30

The above and other objects will appear more clearly from the followingdetailed description when taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the inventive idea.35

In the drawings:

Figure l is a diagrammatic side view of an automotive vehicle in sectionillustrating the drivers compartment, the engine and the locking deviceof the present invention. 40

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic side View similar to Fig. 1 illustrating thewiring diagram.

Figure-3 is a side sectional view upon an enlarged scale illustratingthe valve arrangement on the line 3 3 of Fig. l. 45

Figures 4 and 5 show the locking device upon a larger scale than shownin Fig. l, Fig. 4 being a side sectional view on the line 4 4 of Fig. 5,and Fig. 5 being a front view on the line 5 5 of Figs. l and 4. 50

Referring to Fig. l the automobile has a chassis frame l5, an operatorsenclosure Il provided With a seat i2. The chassis frame l0 supports theengine I3 which is provided with an intake manifold, I4, the carburetorl5, and the gaso- 55 .by the straps 290 (see Fig. 1).

line vacuum supply tank I 6 which is suitably connected to the gasolinesupply tank (not shown) in the rear of the car.

The hood I1 encloses the engine and the engine compartment is separatedfrom the drivers compartment by a vertical dashboard I8 and the inclinedfloor or footboard I9. 'I'he cowl 29 extends forwardly from the engineto the windshield 2l and connects with the instrument board 22,positioned closely adjacent the steering wheel 23.

The instrument board conveniently carries the usual ignition lock 24, ofwhich the key 25 is indicated, said ignition lock being provided withthe tubular enclosure 25.

The structure thus far described is a conventional construction, whichforms no part of the present invention.

In the present invention a solenoid operated valve unit 21 is positionedon the gasoline line 2S from the vacuum tank l5 to the carburetor |5,and the locking switch 29 provided with the plunger 99, is convenientlypositioned as indicated in the footboard i9 Vto enable manipulation bythe operator of the car while seated in operating position on the seatI2.

The solenoid valve unit 21, as best shown in Fig. 3 preferably consistsof the cylindrical enclosure 3| which may be made of metal which isclosed at its ends by the plates 32 and 33 held to the cylindrical wallsby the brackets 34 and 35.

The casing 3| is held on the dashboard i9 The plates 912 and 33 (seeFig. 3) are respectively provided with the openings 39 and 31 for theadmission of the gasoline conduit 28.

The gasoline conduit 28 is preferably coupled to the valve seat cylinder49 by the nuts 4| and the adaptor elements 42, which latter are providedwith threaded nipple portions 43 threaded into the tapped end portions44 of the cylindrical valve seat member 49.

The valve seat member 40 is provided with an enlarged chamber 45 whichhas a bevelled shoulder 46 at the small bore passage 41.

The valve element 43 is of conical shape to nt into the end of the smallbore 41, and the valve has a stem 49 which connects it to the soft steelor iron body member 59. The valve 48-59 in closed position assumes thesolid line position, and in open position assumes the dotted lineposition.

Encircling the cylinder 40 of the valve seat member is the solenoidretainer encircled by the solenoid 52, which solenoid is enclosed in acylindrical shell 53. The shell 53 is enclosed at its end portions bythe plates 54 and 55, to which the cylinder 49 is firmly clamped by thenuts 59 and 51. The solenoid is provided with the screw connections 58to which are connected the electrical conductors I93-I I3 enclosed inthe tubular enclosure |94.

Referring to the latch and/ or locking device of Figs. 4 and 5, thedevice is provided with a face plate 15. This plate together with theoutturned flanges 16 of the cup enclosure 11 is riveted at 18 to thefootboard I9. The face plate 15 is provided with a central opening 19(see Fig. 4) through which projects the cylindrical element 89. Theelement 89 is connected to said face plate by the threaded nut 8|.

The sleeve 89 (see Figs. 4 and 5) receives the plunger 39 of the lock,which at its forward face is provided with a key opening 83 and turningtumbler 84.

The plunger 39 is adapted to slide within the cylinder 89 and it isprovided with a latch 95 which may be alternately received in therecesses 95 and 81, in the cylindrical sleeve 89. The en closingcylindrical bracket 88 covers the latch recesses 95 and 81. The key isprovided with the usual projections (not shown) which move the latch 85in and out as desired, as in the usual Yale locks.

To the end of the plunger 39 is connected the rod which passes throughan opening 99 in the insulating plate 9|. The end of the plunger carriesthe insulating disc member 92 upon the face of which is the metalliccontact element 93. The element 533 closes the circuit across thecontacts 94 and |94 attached to the face of the insulating plate 9| andto which connection is made at 95 and |95 from the conduits I|3 and |96respectively.

The coil spring |91 (see Fig. 4) reacting between the base of theplunger at 98 and the plate 9i presses the plunger 39 outwardly when thelatch 35 is removed from the recess 91 by operation of a key in the keyopening 83, and the outward movement of the plunger 39 will be stoppedwhen said latch is received in the recess 89.

It will be noted in the normal position, as shown in Fig. 4 the plunger39 is out and electrical connection is established between the'contacts94 and |94 and the conductors |I3 and |96, whereas if the foot ispressed upon the plunger 39 the contact 93 will be pressed away from theelectrical contact elements 94 and |94, which will open the circuitbetween the conductors II3 and |95. It is not necessary to describe theinternal mechanism of the locking switch since this switch may beconveniently of standard construction and since many varyingconstructions now on the market may be utilized.

By reference to the wiring diagram of Fig. 2 the electrical connectionswill become readily apparent. Referring to this wiring diagram theground |99 is connected at I9| to the casing 11 of the plunger lock 23.This connection may be through the frame of the car or in some othermanner. Connected to the casing 11 at the point |92 and through thecasing to the ground |99, is the electrical conduit |93 which isenclosed in the casing |94 (see Figs. 3 and 4). To the connection 95 isconnected the conduit i3 leading back from the solenoid 52 and to theconnection 95 is connected the conductor |95, which in turn connects tothe conductors ||9, |29 and I2I of the igni# tion switch circuit.Y Theconductor ||9 is con-- nected to the batteries IIB, which are connectedto the ground 2|9.

It is apparent, therefore, that when the igni tion lock is turned on andwhen the plunger 39 is out the solenoid 21 will be energized through thecircuit I99,.|9|, |93, H3, |99, |29, IIS), and |I8. The circuit betweenthe conduits $93 and I3 extends through the solenoid 52.

The energization of the solenoid 52 will cause elevation of the valve48-59 to the dotted line position of Fig. 3, with the result that fuelor oil can flow from the vacuum tank i6 (or an equivalent fuel sourcesuch as the fuel pump or a gasoline tank), to the carburetor I5 and themixture may flow therefrom to the intake manifold I4.

Ordinarily the plunger 3|) is left out at all rtimes and to start thecar, it is only necessary to close the ignition circuit through thecontacts 94 and |94 in the plunger device 29 being closed at all timesby the contact 93. However, when an attempt is made to steal the car orhijackers appear, by an unobvious and non-apparent movement of his footthe driver will force the plunger 30 down, removing the contact 93 fromthe contact elements 94 and |94 and opening the circuit through thesolenoid 52 without affecting the circuit through the ignition coil (notshown). This will cause the valve 118-5!! to drop against its seat lili,cutting olf the fuel supply i6 from the carburetor l5 and the car willonly continue operating a few blocks until the fuel supply in thecarburetor has been exhausted.

Meanwhile, the operator of the car who has been ejected therefrom willhave had time to spread the alarm or to have telephoned the police, withthe result that there is a greater assurance that the car will berecovered and the criminals apprehended.

Even though the operator of the car be carried in the car and it isstopped, after the thief has driven the car for several blocks, it willnot be readily obvious to the thief that the car stopped because of someprevious act of the operator, which the thief did not notice.

What is claimed is:

l. In an automobile locking device to prevent stealing of the operatingvehicle, comprising means to cut olf the fuel supply to the engine ofthe automotive vehicle, which at the same time will leave suflicientfuel to permit the vehicle to operate for a short time and/or distance,and means to permit said first-mentioned means to be readily operatedwithout detection, said firstmentioned means comprising a weighted valvelocated before the carburetor seated by gravity and provided with anencircling solenoid to unseat the same when energized and saidsecondmentioned means comprising a push device to deenergize thesolenoid located on the floor of the car adjacent the pedals which maybe readily pressed by the foot without substantially moving the footfrom pedal actuating position.

2. In a locking device to prevent the abstraction of an operatingautomobile from the authorized operator thereof, means to cut off thefuel line ahead of the carburetor and manipulative means to enable theoperation of said first-mentioned means without ready detection, saidrstmentioned means comprising a gravity seated valve provided with asolenoid which when energized will unseat the valve and saidsecondmentioned means consisting of a plunger device actuated by thefoot to ole-energize the solenoid and being located adjacent the clutchand brake pedal actuating position.

3. In an automotive vehicle of the type having an engine, a. liquid fuelsupply and a carburetor supplied from said liquid source of supply andsupplying said engine; the combination therewith of a device to preventabstraction of an automobile, which comprises a gravity seated valvedevice on the line from the fuel supply to the carburetor, said valvebeing provided with a solenoid which, when energized, unseats the valveand unobtrusive means enabling ready operation of said valve to preventcontinued operation of the automobile including a device readilyactuated by the foot when in brake and' clutch pedal actuating positionwithout substantial movement therefrom.

4. In an automobile of the type having an engine, a liquid fuel supplytherefor and a carburetor arranged in line of flow from said supply`while operating and while in the control of an authorized person, saidlocking device including a solenoid controlled, gravity-closed valve onthe fuel line from the supply to the carburetor, such solenoidcontrolled valve being directly operated 10 by the solenoid and openedwhen the solenoid is energized and closed when the solenoid is notenergized, and a plunger switch positioned in the footboard of theautomobile including a projecting plunger element, a cylindrical slideto receive 15 said plunger, cooperating latching means between saidplunger and said cylindrical slide having two latching positions, twoelectrical contacts fixed to the switch housing connected to saidignition circuit, another contact on the plunger 20 closing the saidcircuit across said contacts when the plunger is projecting and openingsaid circuit when the plunger is depressed, the circuit through saidplunger being connected to said solenoid, whereby when said plunger isdepressed 25 the solenoid circuit will be opened, causing the valve toclose the fuel line.

5. A device of the character described comprising a valve forcontrolling the supply of fuel tothe engine of a vehicle, Weight meansfor nor- 30 mally urging the valve closed, solenoid means for holdingthe valve open, electrical means for energizing the solenoid, and acircuit including a source of current supply, a manually operableswitch, and means immediately operable follow- 35 ing closing of saidswitch, to supply current tothe electrical means, the carburetor of thevehicle storing suihcient fuel to permit a limited continued operationof the vehicle.

6. A device of the character described com- 40 prising a valve forcontrolling the supply of fuel to the engine of a vehicle, weight meansfor normally urging the valve closed, means for holding the valve open,electroresponsive means for actuating the last means to open the valve,and a cir- 45 cuit including a source of current supply, a manuallyoperable switch, and means immediately operable following closing ofsaid switch tosupply current to the electroresponsive means, thecarburetor of the vehicle storing sufficient fuel to 50 permit a limitedcontinued operation of the Vehicle.

7. A deviceof the character described comprising a valve for controllingthe supply of fuel to the engine of a vehicle, means for normally 55urging the valve closed, solenoid means for holding the valve open,electroresponsivemeans for actuating the solenoid means to open thevalve and permit closing thereof, and a circuit including a source ofcurrent supply, a manually op- 60 erable switch, means immediatelyoperable following closing of said switch, to supply current to theelectroresponsive means, the ignition circuit of the engine beingmaintained upon closing of switch and the carburetor of the vehiclestor- 55 ing sufficient fuel to permit a limited continued operation ofthe vehicle.

8. In an automobile locking device to prevent stealing of the operatingvehicle, comprising means to cause a stoppage of the engine of the 70automotive vehicle, which will permit the vehicle to operate for a shorttime and/or distance and including a weight seated and electricallyopened valve in the fuel line before the carburetor, foot operated meansadjacent the brake 75 Cil 4 and clutch pedals to permit said firstmentioned means to be operated.

9. In a locking device to prevent the abstraction of an operatingautomobile from the authorized operator thereof, a device to cut off thefuel line ahead of the carburetor including a weight seated andelectrically opened valve in the fuel line before the carburetor, andmanipulative means to initiate the automatic operation of said rstmentioned means consisting of a foot-actuated element positionedadjacent the pedals of the automobile.

10. In an automotive vehicle of the type having an engine, a liquid fuelsupply and a carburetor supplied from said liquid source of supply andsupplying said engine; the combination therewith of a device to preventabstraction of an automobile, which comprises a Weight closed valve onthe line from the fuel supply to the carburetor, a solenoid control forsaid valve to maintain said valve in open position, and footactuatedmeans to cause de-energization of said solenoid and thereby to closesaid valve whereby continued operation of the automobile is pre- 10vented.

ALEXANDER LAZARUS. ABRAHAM BROWN.

